7 Real Reasons Why You Should Own A Sailboat

It’s time to consider a pleasure craft purchase.  You’ve earned it. You can justify it. Maybe you’ve been out a few times with friends and the boating bug has bit you.  Or possibly you’re an independent soul who would rather take to the waterways instead of the highways in search of adventure. Maybe you’ve always had a thing for sailboats but nothing has really pushed you over the edge to buy one.  Regardless of your situation, there are some very special upsides to owning and enjoying a sailboat. This article explains 7 real reasons why you should own a sailboat.

There are many many reasons to own a sailboat instead of any other kind of pleasure craft.  To boil it down to a simple list is no easy task, but here goes…

Why own a sailboat?

1. To harness nature’s abundant energy

2. To immerse in rarefied destinations

3. To join a sailing culture

4. To perfect the age old craft of seamanship

5. To witness wildlife all around

6. To get to know your crew on a deeper level

7. Sailors can Relax: The rewards of a sail plan success

To Harness Nature’s Abundant Energy

There is nothing quite like hoisting the main and jib and feeling the boat heel over and pick up speed.  The wind fills the sails, the rigging tightens up and there is an audible creaking as the boat settles in to its negotiations with the wind. 

Powering down the motor and hearing the waves lap up against the hull as you approach hull speed is in every way the quintessential definition of de-stressing both mind and body.  The tiller pulls away at times as the gusts and breezes wrestle with the rigging. Your small, well timed inputs keep the boat tracking exactly to your pleasure. This kind of travel feels right. 

There are thousands of years of sailing tradition in the human experience. All of this heritage wells up within you as you pilot your vessel with a reverent confidence. It feels like it is in your DNA somehow.  Yet at the same time it doesn’t feel real or possible. Nothing but the wind is power source for your vessel. Sailboat owners chase this feeling. This is why they own a sailboat.

Rarefied Destinations

Many destinations of incredible beauty are accessible only by boat.  By becoming a sailboat owner, you have access to unique and remote destinations. Sailboats are uniquely suited for longer range travel and seeing rare places often means travelling well beyond powerboat range.  Face it, wind is renewable, and in a comparable power boat, fuel stops are not always possible in remote areas. Most people who cross the big blue do so in a sailboat for exactly this reason. 

Sailboats are admittedly slower than power boats, but sailboat owners know that going in. There’s an old saying “Powerboats get you where you want to go quickly, but on a sailboat, you’re already there”.  There’s something to be said about thoughtfully cruising shorelines, slowly and deliberately scoping out unique geologic formations along the way. At times one can find little coves or secluded sheltered bays where a short stay at anchor is warranted.  If water temperatures and sea conditions allow, there’s always an abundance to tour under the water with scuba gear.  

Sailing Community

Mooring overnight at a marina is a wonderful way to integrate into sailing culture.  There’s something that all sailors understand about each other that makes sparking up friendships both effortless and rewarding. Fellow sailors will have a ready wave and a smile.  If you let them, some will talk your night away with tales from the sea. Usually there is a gold nugget of wisdom with each tall tale, so don’t be too quick to dismiss these folks. 

Marinas also happen to be some of the best places to pick up tips on great destinations or anchorages. It’s also a great place to seek help with any issues you are having with your vessel.  Skippers are quite proud of both their skills and their tools. They will often lend a hand with whatever you may need. In the end you may just make some new friends. These friendships become valued sailing partners along the way, even if only for a short time.  

Racing Culture

Another aspect of the sailing community is racing culture.  As you might expect, sailing races are common and are taken quite seriously.  Yacht clubs’ pride and bragging rights rest on race victories.

America’s Cup races offer the cutting edge of race technology. Viewership of these competition is in the millions as audiences worldwide tune in to the latest contenders.  But this is not the kind of racing I’m talking about.

There exists the unspoken phenomenon of a sailing race every time two or more boats under sail are headed in the same direction. It doesn’t matter the class or size of boat. As long as two sailboats are using the same wind and heading, there will be, by default, a sailing race.  This doesn’t occur in power boating as much because of the wide variety of engine displacements and hull designs that are out there. By using only wind, the playing field is somewhat level. The two sailboats simply must be racing if using the same power source, no?

Perfecting the Age Old Craft of Seamanship

Sailing is more of an art form than a simple point and go method of transportation. It seems that there is always something to do while underway, and this actually a good thing.  Learning how to better pilot and maintain your boat is more meditative than anything. Allowing your mind to be tuned to focused problem solving and creative endeavors while sailing automatically drowns out your day to day stress. This is very therapeutic.  

There are many factors that go into sailing and it is immensely rewarding gaining experience and competence as a skipper. Fully understanding how your boat utilizes the power of the wind can and should take years. Experienced skippers are able to get a great deal more out of their boats than a junior sailor in the same exact boat.  This is why you should own your own boat or at least set up an annual charter on the same vessel every year. Under sail power, you as the skipper bring into harmony a number of forces. It is your job to always be looking for ways to improve either efficiency of travel or comfort of the crew. Learning the correct techniques, guessing and testing alternate methods of efficient travel, and networking with other skippers are just a few ways to pursue the the art of sailing.  

Beyond the action of sailing, owning a sailboat requires other skills that need to be honed.  Properly deploying an anchor and knowing how to read a chart and tide table are critical elements of owning a sailboat.  There are formal training centers at most marinas. It is well worth your while to use these training facilities as the foundation of your growing sailing skills.  

Wildlife All Around

Sailing a boat through a peppering of small islands or into secluded coves comes with benefits far beyond the beauty of the scenery.  Wildlife abounds both under your boat and above in the skies. Sailing makes it possible to immerse yourself in the societies of whales, porpoises, dolphins and sea lions.  There is no roaring motor or trailing exhaust when you are under wind power. Because of this, marine life goes on about its business like normal. You will experience wildlife in its natural movement patterns, its rhythms and its serenity.  When considering owning your own boat, specifically a sailboat, consider the connection to nature. The silence and serenity of a sailboat makes this connection possible.

You Get to Know Your Crew

Time aboard a sailboat with a like minded crew builds bonds of friendship and camaraderie like no other experience.  When you own your own boat, you are in charge of everything. That means you can custom tailor who will be a part of your crew. You can have meaningful conversations and learn from others while under way.  You can use your influence to teach others about your life and sailing experiences as well. One important thing about sailing with others is the lesson you learn about working together for a common goal.  When that doesn’t always happen, you must deal with conflict in proactive ways. Morale health depends on your leadership skills. Owning your own sailboat gives you this facility. It is a facility like no other that can teach others how to work as part of a greater unit.  

Relax: The Rewards of a Sail Plan’s Success

The satisfaction of pulling into a harbor or anchorage relatively on time and in one piece is immensely satisfying. As the owner of a sailboat, there is a process that must be followed for this satisfaction to be realized.  The planning stages of a sail plan are not always easy and require discipline. After all, this is very much the theoretical phase of your trip. There are a great many variables in play as you put together a sail plan. What are the locations of the fastest currents?  What hours will they be flowing in my favor? Where is the shallow water and will I hit the bottom? What kind of boat traffic can I expect, especially in the narrows? What’s the weather going to be like? Do I have enough fuel if the wind dies out for a few days?

The Sail Plan

All of these uncertainties need contingency plans.  All (or most) of these plans need backup plans. When a sail plan is finally drafted it needs to be checked and double checked. The second guessing phase is a real mind trip and may lead to sleepless nights before casting off. This is where networking with other sailboat owners can come into play. Confidence in your sail plan is bolstered when your have another set of qualified eyes scrutinizing it. 

Then there is the execution phase. Is the boat sufficiently provisioned for the trip you have planned? Did the crew show up and are they team players? The unknown is the part that every skipper has to deal with. Despite every “flawless” plan, the human element is one that can not be adequately accounted for. This, along with every other phase of preparing for a trip, is why it is so satisfying to conclude a sail plan.  Power boaters seem to point their vessel and hammer down until they arrive. Sailors know the challenges and even dangers inherent in any variable rich endeavor and sailors alone reap that unique satisfaction of success at the end of a long voyage.